Remembering Nelson Mandela

A child stands nearby flowers and tribute messages outside Nelson Mandela’s home in Johannesburg on Dec. 9, four days after the death of the former South African president. (Stephane De Sakutin, AFP/Getty Images

Twenty-seven years ago I was fortunate to be a part of Orchestra King Mama, an Afro-pop band made up of some of Denverâs finest musicians including Glenn Taylor, Mark Harris, Ron Miles, Gordon Kennedy, Carlton Bacon and many more. One of our favorite songs we played was âFree Nelson Mandela.â My memory of that experience is watching hundreds of mostly white hands raised in ecstatic dance while people sung the chorus at the top of their lungs. A few months after the band broke up, Mandela was released from prison. Weeping, that chorus to âFree Nelson Mandelaâ roared in my head.

In freedom, this icon set standards for all of us: supreme forgiveness, indefatigable courage, overwhelming compassion â all with a twinkle in the eye.
We all remain beyond gratitude and awe for the impact of your life, Madiba. Letâs hope we can remember.

Lois LaFond, Boulder

This letter was published in the Dec. 10 edition.

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Santorum on O’Reilly show. . compares apartheid to Obamacare, O’Reilly agrees and points out Mandela was a communist.

Even Ted Cruz followers couldn’t even let their hero get away with saying things nice about Mandela . . .âNelson Mandela will live in history as an inspiration for defenders of liberty around the globeâŠ Because of his epic fight against injustice, an entire nation is now free.â
Followers of Crazy Cruz. . .
âLetâs not forget that Mandela called Castroâs Communist revolution âa source of inspiration to all freedom loving people,â

âMandela was a white hating killer and his wife continued his tradition..including torture and immolation of enemies,â

âSad to see you feel this way Ted,â

âMay he rest in peace. But I was afraid this day would come, when Ted Cruz would disappoint,â

âUm, yeah, Mandela was a communist and was involved in torture, terror, and murder,â

You could have waited to see if anyone posted a nastygram, but noooo …

andyandy

And you could have commented on the substance of what he did post, Pete, instead of scolding him for the form.

Guest

Totally agree. Why he caters to the rightwingnuts is beyond me.

toohip

Thank you! I’ve been saying this for a long time. Peter has some fantastic points, and can down and dirty too with the usual suspects, but if some gets out of the gate on our side a little early he wants to throw a flag on the play.

toohip

peter I realize you’re a nice guy and want to give the right always the benefit of the doubt, but this is exactly what I did . . they had every opportunity to say something nice, and even Teddie came through, but the usual suspects on the right always come through, and that was my point. Sorry I disappointed you.

Guest

At least the usual suspects of the “christian conservatives” haven’t posted their own disparaging remarks. But I think it says a lot that they cannot even bring themselves to acknowledge he was a great human being. Something they cannot claim for themselves or their “idols” of hypocracy!

toohip

I honestly didn’t/don’t expect the lusual suspects here, to say something critical of Mandela, . even “free-thinking” ones! My point was to point out the usual suspects of the TeaHadi crazy party, who can’t just accept greatness, just because he leaned left.

johnrpack

It’s wonderful to remember this great man. Thanks for the letter — he’s definitely a modern George Washington!

peterpi

I agree.
The apartheid regime had jailed him for 25 years, had reviled him, called him names, impugned his integrity, but …
When the time came, and FW de Klerk wanted to talk to him, he set all that aside, negotiated — and apartheid fell apart.
During his presidency, a Truth and Justice Reconciliation Commission (I think that was the title) was created, and the dirty laundry of all sides was aired for all to see. No reprisals, no revenge-retribution-payback-repeat cycle was set up amongst the populace, so far as I know.
The country still faces huge hurdles, I’m sure, but at least he got it started on a fresh footing.

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